Yakuza House serves sushi, omakase, and izakaya dishes out of a cozy dining room in Metairie. Founder Huy Pham grew up around restaurants his mother ran, and took his first serious kitchen job at Café Zen, a Japanese spot that pulled him into what he's described as an obsession with Japanese cuisine.
At 17, Pham was named head chef at Rock-n-Sake, an experience he's said was more about cutting costs than earning real trust in the kitchen. He held that role for five years before Hurricane Katrina upended the city, and later went on to open another Rock-n-Sake location on Long Island before eventually opening Yakuza House.
The restaurant has built a loyal following across Greater New Orleans, with regulars returning often and crediting the staff's attentiveness as much as the fish. NOLA.com / Times-Picayune named Yakuza House to its 2025 best-of list.
At 17, Pham was named head chef at Rock-n-Sake, an experience he's said was more about cutting costs than earning real trust in the kitchen. He held that role for five years before Hurricane Katrina upended the city, and later went on to open another Rock-n-Sake location on Long Island before eventually opening Yakuza House.
The restaurant has built a loyal following across Greater New Orleans, with regulars returning often and crediting the staff's attentiveness as much as the fish. NOLA.com / Times-Picayune named Yakuza House to its 2025 best-of list.